


darcy has a bad feeling.

by missmayhem



Series: learning to trust [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Tony is serious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-10 12:13:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/785935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missmayhem/pseuds/missmayhem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy has a bad feeling about steves new girlfriend. It's a niggle. But for the sake of their fragile friendship she keeps quiet, until she can't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

No beta. All mistakes are my own. In fact its the only thing(s) I do own.  
They met. Became friends. Really good friends. She feels...... something but she has no one outside of the tower. She won't risk losing everything just to love Steve. Because no relationship, in her experience, has ever lasted.  
Hurt and upset Steve moves on. But something just doesn't add up with Steve's girl. Unable to determine what Darcy keeps quiet. Until she really can't anymore.

 

"Steve please".  
"Why?" his voice full of anger and hurt.  
Darcy couldn't answer him.  
"What did you think? I would pine over you, that I wouldn't move on to someone who was willing to love ALL of me."  
She felt the blood drain from her face.

"It's not like that!" her voice breaking slightly.  
"This isn't a jealous girlfriend thing. I jus-"

"You weren't even that, Darcy." He said quietly 

The comment hurt more than she let on, she took a deep breath.  
"I just don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want you to do something you might regret."  
A muscle in his jaw twitched. His voice steely cold.  
"I won't."  
"Look if she loves you then she'll wait til you're ready."  
"I was ready with you." He yelled, his hands grabbed her shoulders. He was close and Darcy had to step back. His touch sent lightening down her body, as it always did. He flinched at the touch too. But hurt by the distance she had always put between then.  
"I have to go. She's waiting for me."  
He turn and walked away.  
"Steve"  
She called but he didn't even pause, he just kept moving further away from her.


	2. tony talks to darcy.

She feels the tears flow down her face. and she blindly reaches for the wall behind her and slides down it.  
A million things run through her head.

She's in the hall way crying. She should probably head for her room but her legs feel like jelly.

She's crying and she not sure of the reason- there are so many.  
Steve walking away.  
The friendship she's just lost  
She tried to keep it all and lost it anyway.  
How soon before she's asked to leave?  
What will happen after Beth and Steve's third date?  
Echoes of the boys explaining what a third date usually meant.  
Will Steve regret it when/if he finds out?  
She loves him.  
Where will she go?

How long before she's alone, again?

 

Her breathing becomes shorter and harder to get. She rests her head on her knees and wraps her arms around them trying to make the pain stop.

She felt someone slide down the wall next to her.  
"Come here kiddo." Tony wrapped an arm around her and for once, she gives in, takes the comfort being offered.  
And cries on Tony's shoulder.

"You want to explain this to m?" He says after a minute or two.  
She pulls her phone out of her pocket and with a few taps, a photo appears  
It's a commonplace scene. Dinner for two, Romantic atmosphere, Steve's girl, Beth looking very pretty, Her date -Not Steve!


	3. Chapter 3

"When? Where?"  
Tony's voice is still and calm. She's learnt in the past three months that Tony is only still and calm when he is angry.

"I was picking up the takeout on my way back from class like I do every Wednesday. It's where they had their first date."

"Does Steve know?" Darcy shook her head.

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"I knew something was off about her. And the one time I tried to talk to Nat about it, Steve overheard us and just blow up. Told me to respect his privacy. Nat rolled her eyes at us and walked away."

"Good point, why didn't you show this to him?"

"I, I couldn't break his heart."

"He's a big boy. He can handle it."

Darcy scoffed. "No, his not. His heart is the one thing that didn't change. It was why he was picked. It's the one thing that isn't 'supered'. He still morns for Bucky and Peggy. He, just hides it really, really well."

Tony was silent for a moment.  
And then, "Why do you care? You turned him down."


	4. tony makes sense. who'd have thought!

"Why do you care?"

The question brought darcy up short.  
She tried to answer it.  
"I. He. I."

Tony chuckled. "Don't burst a blood vessel kid. You love him."  
"No!" The word seemed to explode from her lips.She pushed him away and stared straight ahead  
.  
Tony sighed. "Why is it so hard to admit. Just tell him"

"I don't have..." she shook her head and fell silent. She felt the tears behind her eyes. She was too drained to fight them.  
"Don't have...?" He pushed. "What are you so afraid of?"

She fell silent again.

"Look" he sighed. "Don't worry about Steve. He sent Beth home. I'll sort this. I'll do some digging and talk to him in the morning."  
"Thank you." She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You could have come to me. Trusted me." He admonished.

"I didn't want to disappoint you. Didn't want you to get caught up in this or mess up your friendship with Steve." Her head fell to her knees again. "I screwed up didn't I?"

"Yep. A lot. Welcome aboard the 'i screwed up' train. I'm the driver and conductor."  
She smiled a little at his words. His arm hugged her to him. And he placed a kiss on her forehead.  
Darcy felt a little loved, it made her tear up. Again. She was too drained to fight her heart swelling. Too tired to put her walls up. To emotionally wrung out to fight it. She knew she would hate herself in the morning but still she couldn't stop the words.

"You're the closest thing I have to a dad and can't stand the thought having to walk away when Steve and I break up. I don't have anywhere else or anyone else outside of this building. I don't know how to be alone anymore."

It came out like a babbling brook.

After a beat Tony chuckled  
"Really, Kid that has to be one of the most dramatic and stupid things I ever heard you say."

Darcy felt like some had thrown water over her and she tried to push him away.  
"No." He held firm. "Stop struggling and listen."  
"Let of me." She demanded  
"Darcy!" he commanded.  
She stilled. He lifted her face. "Look at me!" He wiped the tears from her face tenderly.  
"You really don't see it, do you? Thor has declared you his sister on several occasions. Jane can't live without you. Since you've move in and took over there have been 2 explosion in the lab. And Bruce hasn't 'hulked' out in over a month."  
"Hulked out. Really! We're using that now." Darcy smirked.  
"Yes, hulked out. It's a great word." Tony's trademark smirk matched Darcy's. "Don't interrupt."  
"Darcy before you started taking care of us the hulk was a regular. Dum-E was putting out fires all over the place. Kid. You make us eat and sleep. More importantly to help us laugh. You keep us sane. You the normal around here. Your contract with S.H.I.E.L.D ran out when Thor showed up." 

"But that was weeks ago. Why am I still here then."  
"Because we need you."  
Darcy's had dropped to her knees.  
"By the way your probably the closest thing to having a kid I should ever get. And I'll deny that should anyone ask, 'cos me and kids, not a good idea."

Darcy cried. she could feel the truth in his words, all the worry and stress and loneliness seep out with her tears.  
And Tony, bless him, just sat there and held her while she cried.


	5. tony does some digging.

It wasn't long before Tony bundled Darcy into bed. The kid was strangely compliant when tired. He left water and pain killers by her bed side and congratulated himself on taking care of her. Pepper would be proud. Her words echoed as he walked to his workshop. 

"I don't have anywhere to go." 

"Javis, you up?: 

"For you sir always."

"I want background check for Darcy and Beth" 

"Sir? Are you sure." 

"Do it." 

"Yes sir. It might be helpful to know what you are looking for." 

"For Beth. We'll start with financial and work our way up. Darcy. I want to look at her childhood. And parents. Who were they and what happened." 

"Yes sir"

The next morning Tony found Steve in the gym, several punching bags were split and Steve was laying into another one. "So how's the anger management going?" Steve looked over his shoulder at tony. 

"Not today tony." 

"Ok cap. I'm gonna put this here for you to read." He placed a file on the nearby bench. 

He stopped. "What is it?" 

"Something you need to know. I'll be in my workshop if you want to talk."

Steve showed up after an hour. He threw the file on Tony's desk. 

"Did Darcy put you up to this?" He spat angrily. 

"First, no one puts me up to anything. Second, Darcy doesn't know anything beyond the photo. She stumbled across you girlfriend having a nice romantic dinner with her husband. And what did she do? She tried save your damn virtue. She didn't want you to give it up to someone you might regret. So before you get uppity just remember that you trusted her once and she hasn't actually done anything to lose that."

Steve slumped find onto a chair. Head in his hands.

"I'm sorry. You're right. I should have trusted her despite everything. She just... drives me crazy." 

"yeah, love will do that to you. Steve I have one thing to say before you sort this out. She loves you too, she's just very afraid of losing everything. Now out, I have work to do and you have stuff to sort."


	6. tony and darcy talk. again. without tears.

A few things changed over the next few days. Darcy spent more time with Tony in his workshop and Steve spent a lot of time away from the tower. 

"You know you're gonna have to talk to him at some point." Tony said from under a car. "Spanner."

"8mm or 10mm." Darcy replied.

"8."

"I figure I'd give him some time."

"In other words ignore the situation in hopes it'll go away." Tony translated.  
"Yep. pretty much."  
Tony chuckled. "You know that never works, kid. Wrench."  
She handed the wrench over. "Sure it does." She said. "I ignore the situation and then something happens to change said situation and I deal with that instead of this one."  
"Kid, that make no sense."

"Yeah. I know." She sighed. "But, Seriously, what am I supposed to do? First, his never here and secondly, we don't even know it they broke up or if he wants go talk to me. Its this big mess and I don't know how to fix it."  
"Have you tried talking to him."  
"Curse you and your infernal yet over simplified logical." She shook her fist at Tony still under the car.  
"You're shaking your fist at me right now aren't you."

"Nope." She popped to 'p'.

Tony smiled. He had been a little worried, 'Snarky Darcy' had been sadly absent in the past few days.

He rolled out from under the car and lifted the hood. "Start it up." He nodded to the drivers seat. She turned the key it sputtered and died.  
"Wow. I'm overwhelmed at your astounding achievement." She said deadpan.  
Tony rubbed the back of his neck puzzled  
He bent over the engine and started tinkering.  
"Try it now." He called out.  
It coughed and sputtered in to life. The engine of the hot rod sounded rough and when it started to whine Tony motioned for her to turn it off. He wiped his hand on the rag. "Jarvis run full diagnostic." "I'm hungry." Darcy announced "let's eat. I'm thinking pizza. We should get a head count and order pizza." Tony smirked. "Jarvis, head count." "Yes sir." They waited a minute or two. "Agents Rominov and Barton are on mission. Thor and Dr Foster are.. currently engaged. Dr Banner ask to save him a slice or three. And Capt. Rogers declines." Darcy looked up at Steve's name. "Is Steve in the tower?" She asked. "Yes Miss Lewis." She took once glance at Tony who gave her a small nod and she left to find Steve.


	7. darcy and steve talk

She paused out side of Steve's door. She knew she had to talk to him but was unsure of what to say. She rested her palm on the door and sighed. She loved him.

Steve on the other side of the door had his hand on the handle, waiting. He had heard her coming down the corridor (thank you super hearing!). He heard the sigh. He concentrated hard and heard her heart pounding. He loved her.

Darcy's hand moved from the door.  
You've never been a coward don't start now. She told herself and she knocked.

Steve opened the door. Both stood motionless. Both unsure and then they were hugging,  
Steve held on tight, her soft body a comfort and real. Holding was new and old like coming home after a really long trip. You notice the things that are different but can still find a place you belong.

Darcy held on. Her head resting on his chest. She could feel his heart strong and steady. His arms made her feel safe and panicked. She knew this was where she was meant to be, yet she couldn't stop the overwhelming urge to hide from him.

He pulled her into the room and closed the door behind them. She buried herself in him taking his strength. After a moment she let go and stood back, his hands rested on her arms not breaking the contact. Steve stood there waiting, she seemed to be searching for the right words. 

"I'm not sorry." She blurted out. 

Darcy groaned mentally, great start! she thought. But she really wasn't. 

"I'm not sorry for trying to protect you. She continued. If I had to I'd do it again, I would." 

"I don't need you to protect me." He countered 

Darcy felt a fission of hurt and anger shake up her spine. She pushed him away. 

"Why not?" She asked. "Just because I don't have an iron man suit or turn big and green or can lift a motorbike over my head doesn't mean I can't try and protect the people I care about. You all think that just because your so strong you can't get hurt." She poked his chest (noting the firmness of it) "and if the roles had been reversed you would have done the same." 

Steve started to protest but Darcy gave her best 'you know I'm right' stare and Steve promptly closed his mouth. 

He sat down and rubbed his hand over his face. 

"You're right." He concede. "I should have trusted. I should have listened. I'm sorry." 

Darcy, who had been prepared for an argument, sat down next to him. 

"I should have trusted you as well. I should have just shown you the picture. I just didn't want you to get hurt I that way. I couldn't stand the thought of you being used like that." 

She shuddered at her own memory. 

Steve finally understood. "What happened?" he asked. 

"I've been dodging wandering hands since I was 15. I had sex at 17. He dragged about banging the girl with the big boobs. I bought my first tazor the next day. He didn't care about me. All those thing he said to make me feel...." She shook her head. "I didn't want that for you. I want you to be with someone who sees you, Steve not Capt America, or even Capt Rogers."

Her hand was on his arm and he covered it with his own. He turned to her, he looked sad, like a sad puppy.  
"You see me. You've always seen me. I know you care about me. I can hear your heart beat fast when I'm close to you. You blush. Your eyes darken." He lifted her head with his other hand and gazed into her eyes. He continued."I can hear your heart now pounding away, yet you won't give us a chance and you won't tell me why." He said gently, his hand curled around hers. She froze at the contact.  
"Please, talk to me." He begged her. "Trust me."

Darcy sighed. "You know it really isn't fair to read me like that." She rested her head on his shoulder for a moment and pulled away. Steve's hand scramble for hold on her.

"Steve, I'm not pulling away I just need a little space. I can't think with you so close." She smiled.

She got up and turned away from him she looked at his book case and spotted books she had recommended.  
"I still wake up thinking I'm back in my dorm room and this as been an incredible dream. But I have classes and I have to get up and be alone. It's really hard to trust the good things when they come along but I'm trying. And I was so afraid that if I dared to hold on to you. That if I dare to keep you, I would lose everything. I know it doesn't make sense but there it is." She turned back to him.  
"I love you. I know this sounds bad but I didn't come here to fall in love. I didn't want to. I was just gonna help Jane get Thor back but somehow we became friends and I fell in love with you. And i was gonna take that to my grave because you deserve so much better than me but then you loved me back and I can't help thinking what did I do that was so good for me to deserve this and how long before I screw it up."

She stopped talking and dare to look at Steve. He had a dazed smile on his face.  
"Steve? Hello."

"You love me." he said smiling.

She smiled. "Out of everything I just said that that's all you heard?"

"You love me." He said again dazed.

"Steve? Hello. Anybody in there." she shook him lightly.

He jumped up and captured her lips it was harsh and bruising. Darcy whimpered at the contact. He stepped back and blushed. "Sorry." He mumbled.

She couldn't help but chuckled. He was adorable when he blushed.  
"Steve. Focus."

"Right." he shook his head and stepped back. He motioned for Darcy to sit and sat next to her.

"I love you too." He said quietly, he took her hand. "You're not the only one with issues you know. But I figure if we can talk about them then we're half way there." He kissed her forehead.

"I can't promise I won't freak out again. That I won't want to run and hide from you."

"Trust takes time Darcy. Let me earn it. That's all I ask."  
She laid her forehead to his.  
"Ok." She whispered.  
"Can I kiss you?" He whispered back.  
She smiled and kissed him.

 

Fin.


End file.
